Hakuouki: Black Camellia
by Konpeito123
Summary: Reviews appreciated! Yamazaki is given a secret mission by Hijikata that he must keep from the others. But when something happens to him and becomes injured, how will they react? How long can Hijikata keep it a secret? Contains everyone's viewpoints on Yamazaki. Honestly, he's such an underrated character and I have included Shinpachi as well!. Will be updated with more to come
1. He wasn't in there

Yamazaki's work has been troubling for the past few days. There has been an increase of secret activity outside and it was his job to go undercover and investigate. At day, he wrote and organized reports of recent news, as well as tending to the ill and wounded using his medical knowledge. But at night, he would go out to investigate matters of importance or suspicion of valuable information. A doctor and a spy, Yamazaki had lived separate lives by the dawn and dusk. But as work increases, it seems that this double life is taking its toll on him…

It was just another day at the Shinsengumi. Everyone was quite joyful and laidback today.

"Sure is nice to relax once in a while." Sano said, stretching his arms as he walked towards the dining room.

"Hey Sano, wait up!" Heisuke cried from behind, trying to catch up with him. Panting, he rested on Sano's shoulder, catching his breath.

"By the way, have you seen Shinpachi?" Sano asked.

"Yeah, he said he needed to do something else before breakfast." Heisuke said.

The twosome continued walking to the dining room and then headed inside.

Mainly everyone was already there, and Chizuru was just serving the green tea.

"Oh, Sano, Heisuke, good morning! You're in time for breakfast!" Chizuru said.

But she noticed someone was missing from their group.

Um, do you know where Shinpachi is?" She asked as they sat down.

"He needed to-" Heisuke said when he was cut off by a deep voice from the opposite side of the room.

"He'll be back in a moment." Hijikata answered, sipping his tea. All eyes were on him.

"What do you mean Hijikata?" Okita asked with that play voice in his tone.

"I've sent him to go to Yamazaki's room." Hijikata replied, slightly annoyed.

"Eh? Why so?" Kondou wondered, as he finished his cup of tea.

"Have you all noticed that there has been a dropdown in the amount of work lately?" Hijikata asked everyone.

Sano almost choked on his drink from the question.

"There have been fewer issues, none that need immediate action." Saito suggested quietly.

"True on that Saito." Sano said, still coughing.

"Well, I thought that maybe, just for once, we could have a bit of a day off. To just relax. Perhaps I was hoping on organizing a trip somewhere. Like a bathhouse-" Hijikata was saying when the door slid open.

"A bathhouse!? Count me in!" Shinpachi yelled with enthusiasm. Everyone was surprised of the sudden entrance.

"Shinpachi!" Heisuke exclaims as he sat down.

"Seriously, a bath house is the perfect place to go! You can relax there when you're tired and also accommodation! There's one not too far from here as well!" Shinpachi said.

"Well, I guess that's settled. But that hasn't answered why you went to Yamazaki's room." Okita said.

"Oh that? Hijikata thought that perhaps Yamazaki could have breakfast with us for once, you know, since he's always on missions and all, so he told me to get him." Shinpachi explained.

"That's right, Yamazaki's never joined us at all. The fact that he was always busy with investigations and all that paperwork must be tiring, huh? I guess that would be nice." Okita thought.

"So how come he's not with you?" Chizuru asked, now handing out the meals to everyone.

"He wasn't in there." Shinpachi answered.

"WHAT!?" Everyone yelled. The building shook from the noise.

"How come?" Saito asked.

Shinpachi reached into his pocket and took out a folded piece of paper.

"He left behind a note. Read it out Hijikata." He said, handing it to the vice commander. He took it and unfolded it and started reading.

-It is likely that I will not be here by the time you find this letter. Unfortunately, I will be absent for a short while. There is something I have to attend to and have left at 4am to investigate. I apologize for not being able to join you today, but maybe another time. I look forward to that day until then.-

-From Yamazaki-

"So something urgent came up and he had to go." Kondou summed up.

"Man it had to come up now of all times." Okita complained as he ate.

"But it's strange." Saito said.

"What do you mean by that?"

The samurai continued to silently drink, before placing the cup down.

"He says that he left at 4am, and right now it is past 8am. Shouldn't he be back by now?" He suggested.

"Do you think something happened to him?" Chizuru asked regrettingly.

Hijikata was puzzled and thought long and hard.

"Maybe we should stay put just in case. If he doesn't come back afterwards, we'll send out search parties." Hijikata said.

The group continued their breakfast in utter thought and silence, wandering about Yamazaki's safety.

I hope he's okay.

Will he be alright out there? I mean come on, it's be 4 hours.

Could he have got into a fight?

The thoughts were endless as the few minutes went by.

But then, Sano held a suspicious look.

"Sano, what's wrong?" Heisuke asked.

"Hopefully I'm wrong, but does anyone else smell blood?" Sano asked.

The whole room froze in concern. To think there would be bloodshed at this time.

"But that can't be. Wouldn't we like, hear a scream or a fight going on? It's been dead quiet around here." Shinpachi said.

"Well, it would have been nice if it was a fight." Okita sighed in disappointment. Heisuke stared at him in disbelief.

"Are you serio-"Heisuke was quickly cut off by the vice commander.

"Shut up and get back in, somebody's coming." Hijikata hushed everyone back inwards and shut the door, leaving a small gap as an eye hole.

Everyone else heard the sound of somebody walking across the opposite side of the verandah.

But better yet, from Hijikata's perspective as he solely looked through the gap, limping would have been a better word to use.

"Is it an intruder, Hijikata?" Saito asked seriously, readying his sword at his right side. Everyone held their breaths as if to ready themselves for battle.

They waited for the vice commander's answer. He maintained a focused look, until he let a short gasp escape.

"It's Yamazaki."

The tension in the room seemed to vanish into thin air, as everyone relaxed.

"So it was just Yamazaki? Thought it was another spy." Sano said, relieved.

"So he's not hurt, right?" Chizuru asked. But there was no response.

It seems the tension had not disappeared from the room just yet. In fact, it rose in the mind of the vice commander.

"No. He's injured. Really injured." Hijikata finally spoke.

He stepped back from the door, allowing everyone access to the gap hole. They opened it a little wider for everyone to see. But what they saw wasn't to be expected.

Using the walls as a support, a shadowed person walked towards the other side. He was panting, deep short breaths coming out.

He was wearing black garments, and had a black scarf around his neck.

True, it was Yamazaki, but he wore another color, deepening itself into his skin and leaked on his clothes, staining it into a darkened hue.

Yamazaki had several cuts on his body. One slit into his cheek, several on his legs and arms. But the most noticeable was he, using his free hand, was clutching on his side. The vice commander finally understood why…

…as several drops of slaughtered blood dripped from his gripped hand onto the wooden floor.

"He's hurt. Really badly too." Chizuru whispered, frightened by the sight.

But the quiet tremor wasn't to last, as the investigator, exhausted from his wounds, collapsed where he was, falling into quiet darkness.

Everyone remained silent, unable to react properly to the sight. It wasn't long before they finally regained their senses and could think about what they saw.

"Yamazaki!"


	2. You sound a lot like him, you know?

Saito found his contact seated in one of the rundown restaurants of Kyoto. Despite the derelict nature of the establishment, the tables and chairs were half-filled, the atmosphere rowdy. The food may be bad, the drinks watered down, but people will still pay for something to fill their stomachs as long as the price was reasonable. As he pushed his way past the curtain, the noise slowly died down as the customers noticed him. With his official uniform and pair of blades – tanto and wakasashi – tied to a sash at his side, it was obvious who he was.

Saito affected as if to scan the room searching for someone. He let his eyes stray over the figure of his contact for half a second before he turned away and stepped right back outside the restaurant. He proceeded to stretch his back in a casual manner before he leisurely walked a bit of a ways further down the alley, where it was quite empty except for a lone beggar. Nevertheless, the beggar, upon seeing Saito in his Shinsengumi garment, hastily stood and scurried away, careful not to make eye contact.

Saito pretended to kneel down and check that he hadn't broken the strap of his sandal. He saw a flicker of movement in the corner of his eye and stood up quickly turning around as his contact arrived. 'Alright I'm here. Now what is the meaning of this?' His contact asked nervously, fidgeting with his hands as he glancing around to check if they were watched.

Saito raised one hand and lowered it in a gesture to calm down. With his other hand, he reached down the collar of his uniform and removed a silver piece. 'Good to see you too, Suzashi,' he replied dryly.

'You know it's dangerous for me to be seen with you. The yakuza will have my head.' Nevertheless, the man didn't hesitate to snatch up Saito's proffered coin and bit his teeth on it to ensure it was authentic. 'What exactly are you interested in?' The man asked hurriedly.

'Last night. Noticed anything strange going on?'

The man pursed his lips and thought for a moment. 'No. Got to be more specific than that.'

"Has there any sort of abnormality happening in secrecy? More or less, people acting suspiciously around town?

"Nothing comes to mind at the moment, but you could jog my memory…" He spoke slowly and cunningly.

Saito took this as a hint, and tossed him another coin into his direction. The man caught it and put it up into the dim sunlight, reflecting off the precious metal. He sneered, putting it back down.

"Well, I suppose there were some sort of rumors going on around the place." He wondered, putting his hand to his chin, supposedly thinking hard.

"What kind of rumors?" Saito reminded him.

"I've talked with some customers in the restaurant, something about some fellows lurking around the area through the alleyways and have been making bookings in the red light district to have some conversations. Heard they were rogues, carrying around swords on their sides." He spoke quietly.

"I see." Saito asked, confirming the information. "Is there anything else that you could tell me?"

"Sadly, that's all I know. These are only rumors, so there's not much that I can tell." He spoke regrettingly.

"Thank you. I apologize for troubling you, Suzashi." Saito bowed down.

"Nah, it's okay. If I earn a bit of these and I don't lose my head, I don't mind." He cackled, holding up the small round pieces to his eye.

"Well, I should be leaving now. But don't tell anyone that we had this conversation, okay?" He warned him as he headed back to his restaurant.

Saito only stood silent and nodded as the man walked out of the alleyway and out of sight. He waited for a couple of minutes to pass before he headed out to decrease suspicion of them ever being together.

With a thud, Shinpachi let go of the man, hitting hard on the ground. With a scurry, he ran towards the direction where he came from, looking back with fright.

"Ungrateful Mibu Wolves…" He hissed to himself, but with chatter in his teeth, as he disappeared out of sight.

"Hey, Shinpachi, maybe that was a bit harsh?" Sano asked.

"Are you kidding me? He wouldn't talk when I interrogated him, so I had to do it the hard way. Besides, avoiding violence is just not my thing." Shinpachi complained as they walked around the area to look for more people.

"Yeah, but dragging them by the collar?" Sano reminded him, whispering inside his ear.

"S-Shut up! I'm just not in the mood, okay?" Shinpachi exclaimed, but hushed himself when he noticed people staring at them.

Shinpachi felt a hand on his shoulder gripped firmly, and his body being turned around. Before he knew it, Sano was dragging him further ahead, and turned at an alleyway.

"Look, I know you're worried about Yamazaki, but everyone else is too. Right now, the others are searching around town and asking about anything related to this, and they feel exactly the same way. But unlike you, they are keeping their calm and aren't making a scene. So do a little good for all of us and try to control it, okay?" Sano asked sternly.

Shinpachi muttered a 'fine…' before heading out again, and across the marketplace.

They blended quite well into the busy crowd. They weren't wearing their uniforms like usual, due to their current reputation and the several people that detest them for their doings in the past. Surely if they were interrogating the fellow citizens of Japan as the Shinsengumi, they would all hide in their homes until they passed. This was the only way that they would be able to access information: but not sticking out. However, so of them were familiar with their faces, so the job was still difficult.

Shinpachi stretched his arms forward as they walked around the marketplace.

"Getting tired, Shinpachi?" Sano asked him.

"No, of course not. We're going to keep on the investigation until we get something useful." Shinpachi replied with a determined tone.

Sano let out a small chuckle, with a sad smile.

"You sound…a lot like him, you know?" Sano spoke softly.

Shinpachi hesitated, but continued walking slowly.

"Yamazaki's done what we're doing many times right? Always out and eager for information." Shinpachi reminisced.

"Yeah…and we're not doing a good job at it aren't we? Everyone practically knows our faces, never the less how we dress. But he keeps on changing appearances and places, right?" Sano said sighing.

Suddenly, they heard a shout calling them from ahead. A small figure came running up to them, with his long brown hair flowing freely with his every step.

"Hey! Sano, Shinpachi!" Heisuke finally caught up to them, and they headed to the markets to chat.

"So, anything yet?" Sano asked him.

Heisuke sadly shook his head.

"I wasn't able to get much information. Too many people avoided me." Heisuke spoke.

"Guess they knew who we were." Sano sighed heavily again, feeling a bit hopeless.

"Well, I suppose. But I was able to get something. It's not much, but it's better than nothing." Heisuke remembered quickly.

"Really!? What?" Shinpachi exclaimed, finally feeling like they're getting to something.

"Well, people are saying that they are a lot more rogue samurai around town during day as well as night. They usually go out singularly, but they gather up a lot after night." Heisuke said.

"I see… Well, I suggest we keep on looking around and then we head back, okay Shinpachi?" Sano suggested to his friend.

He held back a sigh of disappointment and just shook his head.

"Yeah, okay. Let's go." Shinpachi finally agreed as they head back to the streets.


	3. I don't even know if I'll be back

(Yamazaki's pov)

Drifting in what seemed to be an endless field of darkness, my frail body laid floating, as a deep sea engulfed me. I stayed motionless, as I felt a cold, shuddering wetness all over me, believing that it was water. Even though I was what appeared to be underwater, I maintained a steady motion of air, much to my surprise. It was like I was able to breathe whilst submerged.

But the very idea of it puzzled me. It's impossible that this is actually happening. I'm probably dreaming…

But if I am, what happened to me earlier…? My whole body aches. Did I at some point engage in a fight? My mind feels dull…

That's when it hit me, the memories flowing back to me. Exactly what happened to me…

(flashback)

It was 3:30am at the Shinsengumi headquarters. The sky was still nightfall, with the sun yet to rise over the horizon. Not many were awake at this hour, as if the town was lifeless and inhabited. But all of that was about to change for the worse for me.

Restless eyes regained their sight, as Yamazaki slowly woke from his rewarding rest, as his eyes had time to adjust to the dark room. Sitting up from his futon, he rubbed his eyes, as if to make them fully open. Blinking a couple of times, he looked around his room.

"Even though it's morning, it still looks like the night outside." He spoke to himself, as he got up and changed where he stood. However, it wasn't his usual day clothes. Instead, he wore his night outfit, which he uses for investigations in the dark.

"Recently, I've been trying to pinpoint a certain location where a group of rogue samurai meet up. I couldn't say for the worst if it was a meeting place to discuss matters of ambushing or assassinations, but it is most definitely not any normal matter. For the past few days, I alone have been tracking them, recording their movements and trying to match them together with predicaments and further clues and analysis. Only the higher-ups of the Shinsengumi know about my actions, but the others have no idea. I am thankful of that, as there would probably ask me why am I doing this without Shimada."

"Lately, I have been noticing that Shimada has been distracted and off-topic. I decided to go talk to him about his troubles. That was when I found out that he was in time of grief. His younger sister had passed away due to a long-term illness the day before, and he was wondering whether or not he would be allowed to visit his family in his hometown. I, being a doctor, felt partially responsible for not knowing sooner. If I did, I could have been of some help to her sickness.

I told him that I would ask the vice commander for his permission, but he asked not, for if he was to be absent at this time, I would have to take on his role in this rogue samurai tracking. But I couldn't possibly allow a man who is grieving over the loss of a loved one to go into such a dangerous situation. There was the high risk that he would be injured, and if that were to be, his family would be put in even more grief, which I could not allow. Shimada finally gave in and then set off to his home town. I hope he is okay and will return with a strong will and mind."

Yamazaki wrote this entry into his diary that he keeps with him at all times. It was a light-brown notebook, only the size of his hand. The sides were mattered and worn-out from its usage for so many years. Finished with putting up his head protector, he took it out and turned the pages to his latest entry. Taking out some ink and an ink brush from his desk, he started to add in another entry.

"After Shimada had departed, I took on his role and continued with the investigation. Now I realize that doing a two-man role is quite difficult. Tracking their desired meeting times, I have to move about and record their behavior. But without another one's assistance, it is tiring. I have to remain there, watching everything they do, writing it down and then moving along with them. Usually, Shimada and I would take turns watching whilst the other goes and rests. But this way, I'm afraid that I would collapse by the time Shimada gets back. I do care about his wellbeing a mental state, so I told him to take his time getting back. So I will have to make do with the remaining days left, and take notice of my own strengths and weaknesses.

But right now, I have made significant progress in my search. I have found a suspecting meeting point and will now go and confirm if it's a definite place. However, the trouble is that there are a lot of rogue samurai there and is tight in terms of security. I am not sure with my own strength that I will be able to get there and back without getting into a fight. I couldn't ask the others to assist me, as it is not yet official. Besides, they would recognize the members of the Shinsengumi at any distance. I have to do this alone. There is no other option left. "

Finishing his entry and tucking it back into his inner pocket, he was about to head out when he remembered something important. A promise he made to the others last night.

"Oh no! I promised everyone that I would join them at breakfast today! How could I forget that!? I don't know when I'll be back…" He thought sadly.

He took out a sheet of paper and began to write something. He signed his name at the end and left it on his desk.

"I guess we'll have another time, everyone. But at least they'll know why with this letter. Now I really should be going." Yamazaki thought, as he opened the door and disappeared into the dark morning.

"I don't even know if I'll be back…"

(flashback ends)

The memories of my fight still elude me, but I can still remember certain fragments of it. But they are painful memories. The adrenaline when I was found and chased into an isolated part of the area, The safe feeling vanishing as I became surrounded, and the pain of the sword burying itself in me, both shallow and deep. They were only mere emotions that I could remember. But a faint thought stayed in my mind.

(flashback)

Stumbling, I managed to conceal my presence and retreat from the rogue samurai. Only time could tell, as I would hide and wait for what seemed to be like hours as they would run past, before running out again, only to repeat the same procedure over and over again. I managed to bandage my wounds, but due to my situation, that was all I could do. I had to keep moving otherwise that would be the end of me.

The blood still flowed from my wounds, the most serious one on my side, and unfortunately, the most. I know retreating is shameful, but I have made living my main priority in this case. I have obtained crucial information and I need to get this back to headquarters in one piece. I had managed to get into headquarter without the main guard knowing. If I were to make such an entrance, the others are sure to question Hijikata for this. I needed to get inside without them knowing of the details.

I was close to my room as I walked silently through the verandah. I was almost at my limit, as my legs began to lose their power. My breath became heavier and my eyes were at their peak. I mentally cursed my body to remain upright, at least until I got to my room and closed the door. But it finally gave in. Unable to stop myself, I felt like I was losing my balance, falling. If somebody was to find me here…

"Damn it…" I whispered, before I felt the impact of the wooden floor and passing out.

(flashback ends)

That was all that I could remember, now as my body laid motionless in the sea of my mind. I knew I was unconscious, but I needed to wake up. I just didn't know how. Minutes seemed to pass by as I thought about the past events, trying to regain my memories.

After a long while, my vision began to lighten. Everything around me, the ocean, the bubbles of air, they started to disappear.

"What's going on?" I thought.

As that last word was thought and gone, a blinding light surrounded me, starting off dim, and then becoming brighter. I tried to use my arms as a protector, but it engulfed them, the light passing through as if I was a ghost. Being much for me, I shut my eyes, not knowing what would happen to me.

But that's when I realized…that I was waking up.


	4. Damn it all

It was now around 10am at the Shinsengumi quarters. Waiting outside the room, everyone was waiting on the porch, anxiously waiting for feedback on Yamazaki's condition. There was no talking or sound, the only visible noise being the soft flutter of the morning birds as they took off from the trees. Even though the day was bright and lively, with the warm sunshine on their skin, the feeling was rejected, with the thought of a thick, heavy cloud blocking the sun's warm rays. There was nothing to be said, as they continued to wonder into their thoughts, linking to past memories.

How could they speak, when it would only bring more hurt? How could they talk about the things they usually do when they know that their comrade, is lying helplessly behind that door, trying to hold on to what comfort he had left?

As if in respect of him, they all held their voices in, and hoping that he was alright.

But it wasn't long before the silence was finally broken.

After waiting for so long, their efforts were rewarded, as the door slid open. Their heads all turned, like they were anticipating it all this time. Sannan stepped through, thus closing it behind him, and turning his attention towards everyone.

Shinpachi was the first to speak.

"So? How is he?" he asked with great nervousness.

Sannan held a regretful look. But everyone wanted to know, so he had no choice.

"He's got some serious wounds, but he's in a stable condition now. With some more treatment and plenty of rest, as well as being off-limit from any missions, he'll make a full recovery."

Everyone was happy at the wonderful news. They were able to put on a gentle smile and finally breathe without worry.

"That's a relief!" Chizuru smiled with tears forming in her eyes.

"It's good to know he's going to be okay." Sano said softly.

Near the back, Saito and Okita were able to pull a heartfelt smile, as they watched the more lively ones.

"Souji, were you worried about him?" The quiet one spoke to the other.

He only got a short chuckle.

"That guy is pretty tough when it comes to achieving a goal. I was sure he would manage." He replied, not looking at him.

"You're a bad liar…" Saito thought to himself.

"However…"

Everyone was cut off by that one dreaded word that would replace their happy thoughts with worry.

"…I'm afraid I have some bad news. It was exactly how he got them that have us concerned." Sannan said with a serious tone.

"What do you mean, Sannan?" Heisuke asked.

"Well, about the weapons that was used. Most of the wounds were caused by a longer version of the tachi, whilst overall his shoulder was injured by some sort of explosive substance." Sannan explained.

"A bomb!?" Shinpachi exclaimed. "Jeez, whoever did this; they went that far to keep him from getting away."

"Furthermore, we don't know who did this, but Hijikata is in there waiting for him to wake up. He'll come and tell us when he knows." Sannan included.

Just as he began to walk away, there was a disruption behind his back.

"Wait a moment, Sannan."

All eyes aimed at the voice, with eager ness in them.

"Nagakura…" Sannan whispered.

"I don't get something. Yamazaki left for some reason. Remember the note he left behind? There was something he was suspicious of. What was that?" he trembled, his fists clenched by his side.

"Maybe it's just a hunch, but are you hiding something from us, Sannan? There's something you're not telling us." He said, with a shaking tone in his voice. It was small, but deep inside, he felt enraged.

Sannan pushed his glasses back up to stop them from falling. Closing his eyes, he spoke with a calm voice.

"I apologize, but I do not know what you're talking about. We don't know why he went out." He replied to the accusation.

"…I see. But still, something's not right about this." Shinpachi said, walking away with many questions still unanswered.

Everyone decided that they would return to their normal activities until they get word from Hijikata, who was still in Yamazaki's room. What Shinpachi said had got them thinking differently about the past few days, mainly occasions with Yamazaki. But overall, they were glad that their friend was going to be okay.

And Sannan…still stood there at that very spot. He was also in deep thought, staring at the ground below him. But what was on his mind?

He mysteriously looked around him, noticing that everyone had left. Yet, he checked everywhere in vision of the room, from left to right. Nobody was in his sight.

He was making sure that nobody was around to see…

He opened the door and headed back into Yamazaki's room. There, Hijikata was sitting patiently next to his subordinate, hoping he would wake up soon. He turned when Sannan entered, making sure to close the door.

"What happened, Sannan?" Hijikata asked, as Sannan sat down next to him.

"How is he?" He asked. Hijikata could tell he was worried.

"He hasn't shown any signs. I'm not sure when he'll wake up." He answered.

"Also…"

The vice commander turned to face his long-term friend.

"…Nagakura…he's suspicious, but I'm afraid he's caught on to what has happened." Sannan said quietly.

There was a short period of silence. Hijikata eyes were dilated for a moment, and then returned to normal.

"I see." He replied, turning his attention to Yamazaki. He looked pale, from several battle wounds…

…and the loss of sleep.

"I'm afraid we can't hide it for long, Sannan. We'll have no choice but to tell them soon."

Back at the open grounds…

Sounds of clashing wooden blades filled the air, the swift hand cutting into the air, and the cries of effort as the twosome sparred. It was fierce and rough, both being extremely strong warriors with the sword. At even odds, it's impossible to determine who is better.

"Hey, Hajime…" Okita asked as they took a break.

"?" Saito gestured, looking at him.

"I've been thinking…about Yamazaki. Over the past few days, we never see him around headquarters. He didn't even come when I sneaked into Hijikata's room to find his new haiku book." He said, whilst looking at the clear, blue sky.

"…" Saito didn't say anything, but he was still paying attention.

"Do you find that peculiar? There's been something fishy in the air lately between Hijikata and Yamazaki." He asked him, now looking at him.

This time, Saito looked away and towards his closed sheath.

"Yes…I do." He replied. He didn't say anything else.

Okita stared at him annoyingly. Giving up, he turned back towards the sky.

"You should really talk more…Hajime. But on the other hand, it suits you." Okita said in a carefree manner.

Yet again, no answer.

He kept on staring at the wide shade of blue. There wasn't a cloud to be seen, nor any feathered animal. It resembled a canvas, with nothing else but color. At this time of day, you could call it 'beautiful'. But with the circumstances, you see its inner emptiness. Time went shortly by, and the sky stayed exactly the same.

"I am also worried, Okita. About Yamazaki that is." Saito spoke softly.

Okita was unable to hold in a short laugh.

"What do you mean, also? You're referring to me?" He asked, now closing his eyes.

Saito sighed lightly.

"You still won't admit it…" he whispered.

Not paying attention for one moment, Okita looked at him abruptly in question.

"What did you say, Hajime?" He asked, clueless.

"Never mind. Come, break's over." Saito said, and stood up with his wooden sword in his left hand. He walked off without him.

"O-Oi, Hajime! Hey, come back here!" Okita complained, getting up and following.

"Come on, please! Could you say it again for me?" He asked in a sweet voice.

"Then you should have been listening, Souji." Saito answered without looking.

"Hajime, you're so mean…" He whined, as they walked back to their respective positions

"Well then, I'll make you say it when I win Hajime." Okita spoke, offering a bet. He held a rather mischievous smirk on his face. Saito exchanged a milder one, but still had that same sense.

"Bring it on Souji." Saito accepted.

They began running at each other with their wooden swords grasped at hand, thus beginning Round 2.

At Sano's quarters…

The threesome were sitting in their usual ways, enjoying a drink of sake, but they weren't chatting the way they usually did. It just didn't seem right. Sano was sitting on the side with his back against the wall comfortably, whilst Shinpachi and Heisuke were opposite him, sitting with their legs crossed. The mood was thick, and nobody felt like starting their ordinary cheery conversations.

"Damn it all." Shinpachi muttered, pouring himself a drink and sipping it.

"Try to calm down, Shinpachi. Don't lose your temper too quickly." Sano said sternly.

"Eh? How can you say that? You're mad aren't you?" Shinpachi asked him.

"Yes, of course I am. You think I'm happy?" He answered coldly.

"Oi, Sano, Shinpachi, let's try not to start fighting, ok?" Heisuke ushered to his close friends," You know I don't like arguments."

There was a short silence. Heisuke waited very nervously for their responses.

"Yeah, sure. Sorry about that Sano." Shinpachi apologized before taking another gulp of sake.

"No hard feelings." Sano answered.

Heisuke smiled with relief. He never liked to be in the middle of an argument between his friends.

"Still, I am a bit cranky." Shinpachi said. "It's like Hijikata and Sannan are hiding something from us, something they don't want us to know. Why can't they tell us?"

"I agree. Hijikata and Sannan have been rather secretive for some time now." Heisuke added in, filling his cup with sake.

"What do you think, Sano?" Heisuke asked.

Sano was sipping on his cup, placing it on the floor in front of him.

"You remember when Sannan got that terrible wound, around when Chizuru was allowed to eat with us?" he asked.

"He had those eyes, they were filled with sad, regrets, the urge to want to fix the errors of the past. It's just what I think…but I swear I saw him with that same look today." He said quietly.

Shinpachi almost choked on his sake, with Heisuke needing to pat his back.

"You're hunch was right Shinpachi, but there's nothing we can do. If we go and ask them, it's unlikely they'll spill. We have to wait for Hijikata to report on Yamazaki. Then we'll know the truth."

He finished his cup of sake, and looked out at the verandah. Scenes from his memory were mentally projected from his mind, with those moments when he encountered Yamazaki, or managed to see him return from a mission. There weren't many to look at. He hadn't seen Yamazaki in a while.

"Just comes to show that he has been up to something, and doesn't intend for us to find out." Sano thought, turning his attention to his empty cup, watching the small remaining amount of sake sway with his hand.


	5. I know, Vice Commaner

Back at Yamazaki's room, Hijikata was sitting next to him, waiting for him to give me some sort of sign, any, to show that he was coming to. The vice commander, with his hands clenched on his lap, held a hurtful gaze, as he knew things that he wish he could have told from the beginning of this fiasco. Looking down towards is faithful subordinate, memories of their encounters and ordeals flooded back to him.

The hardest to accept, was when he gave Yamazaki a certain order.

(flashback)

Hijikata and Sannan were sitting in a serious manner in the vice commander's room, with Yamazaki just entering the room, closing the door cautiously behind him.

"You called for me, Vice Commander?" He asked, sitting sensibly on the tatami flooring.

"Yeah, I need to assign an important job to you and Shimada." Hijikata said.

"But this isn't any ordinary mission compared to the others you have been assigned. I'm afraid the others aren't allowed to know about this."

"Why is that?" Yamazaki questioned.

"There have been several rumors of rogue samurai cooperating together in Kyoto lately, and witnesses have reported that they have seen groups of them around town, but not out in the open. We believe this is some sort of plot to bring havoc to Kyoto. But the thing is that it is only a suspicion. The Shinsengumi can't officially barge in there. We don't know if our beliefs are true of if they are planning for bad ideals. That's why the others can't have anything to do with this." Sannan explained.

"We need the Investigation Unit to track them down and confirm our suspicions. Only until then can we get the others to arrest them for treason. But don't tell the others about this. There's no doubt that they are going to protest. I'm not sure that they can accept this. After all, there is a high possibility of risking your life here. But there is no one else who can do this but Shimada and yourself." Hijikata added.

"I understand. I'll notify Shimada right away." Yamazaki answered, accepting the mission. He stood and left the room to find him.

"Hijikata, are you sure about this? Maybe we should tell the others…" Sannan suggested nervously.

"Yeah. I don't know what they would say if they find out. There's nothing I, you or they can do. It's up to the Investigation Unit. I'm afraid that they'll hate me for doing this when I have no choice." Hijikata said softly.

He felt a warm hand placed on his shoulder. He didn't realize how cold he felt.

"Don't be ridiculous, of course they won't. They're your friends, I'm sure they'll understand…" Sannan droned off at his last sentence. He had felt something holding him back…

"Yeah, I hope so…" Hijikata replied as he sat there motionless.

(Flashback ends)

"But now that Shimada is out of the mission, I didn't think that Yamazaki could handle the stress. I tried to make him withdraw and temporarily halt the mission, but he refused." Hijikata thought to himself.

(Flashback)

"Yamazaki, please, it's not necessary to push yourself this far." Hijikata insisted, as he sat by Yamazaki as he worked on his mission's findings.

He didn't say anything. Not even a sound.

"You've been staying up to record your Intel, and you've been skipping your rest to go and investigate. At this rate you'll- " Hijikata tried to reason, but was interrupted by Yamazaki.

"I know, Vice Commander." He said, staring straight in Hijikata's eyes.

"Yamazaki…" he whispered.

"I understand my position, as well as my current situation. But what else can I do to stop that?" He asked, as he continued going through his records.

"Nobody else can perform this task except for the Investigation Unit. But since Shimada is currently absent, I have no choice but to do it myself. I'm sorry, but whatever you do, I won't allow you to refrain me from completing this mission. If I stop now, then what is all of this wasted effort for?"

(flashback ends)

Hijikata snapped out of his resentment phase and stared back at his comrade. He was still unconscious and hadn't moved from his position, but he was alive. Hijikata began to remember just what happened when they found him lying on the wooden flooring outside some time ago.

Everything was so fast-paced, like it was all fast forwarded in time. What seemed to feel like an hour or so felt like several minutes. The feeling of being pressured and hurried so quickly left a daunting presence on the lieutenant's mind.

Feeling as if he needed to talk to someone, he looked down at Yamazaki.

"I feel regretful towards putting you on that mission now. There couldn't have been a worse time, with Shimada on a temporary leave." He spoke softly, now reaching out to Yamazaki.

Seeing his hand partially tucked underneath the covers, Hijikata took his own into his, feeling the sudden chill from his fingers, in comparison to his own. Knowing that just made him feel even more guilt.

"They're so cold…" He let out.

He felt a sudden urge to hit himself hard. But he refrained, knowing for sure that would wake him up. But he had to somehow let out even a small portion of his anger towards himself. Wishing to exchange his heat to his subordinate, he continued to hold it tightly, now using both hands, hoping it would help.

It was the least he could do to help him at the moment.

The only thing that could be heard in the silent room was Hijikata's pleas, as he continued to repeat the same words again.

"I'm sorry." They echoed throughout the room, each time said even more strained. His voice began to croak and break, as his heart felt like it was being pulled harshly by the few words he spoke. Inside, he felt…so much pain. But it was different.

It wasn't like the feeling when a sword cuts into your skin, or if you fall and scrape your knee and you start to bleed. Even though it does hurt, it would heal over time, and it would be done faster with treatment, medicine and rest. Afterwards, the wound would be far gone and you wouldn't be able to feel the pain anymore.

The pain he felt right now, was not of that feeling. There was no physical wound on his heart, and the pain wouldn't go away. It hurt deeper within the skin, a pain that is not felt through the nerves.

Hijikata began to feel wetness behind his eyes, as he continued to stare at Yamazaki's befallen expression. It was still and pale. But as he continued to gaze at his eyes, he could see.

The fact that he was in pain. And that he believed that it was his doing.

He closed his eyes, still holding onto his hands, hoping for him to wake up soon. Not because he wanted to interrogate him.

Not because he wanted to scold him for what has happened.

"Please…come back soon."

All he wanted at this moment…was just for Yamazaki to wake up.


	6. It's not true

It had been a short while since the group all separated to their normal deeds, the headquarters had become deadly silent. It was so quiet, even the smallest bump would be heard by everyone. The air felt heavy and damp, as soon a drop of water fell from the sky. Then it was a shower, and then a drizzle.

It didn't take long for the sky to be covered in a grey blanket of clouds and let out a downpour across Japan. The silence was taken over by the sound of water droplets crashing against rooftops, enveloping the once quiet aura outside around headquarters.

But inside the building was not as so. The physical form of the silence was long gone, but the cold mutual feeling drifting in the air had not yet been exorcised. It held itself onto the head quarter's boundaries like glue, not once letting go. The gloomy aura just wouldn't go away.

Back at Sano's quarters:

Heisuke was half way of finishing his drink when he heard the downpour outside the paper doors. The sound could almost be called deafening if you weren't inside.

"Well, now it's so not quiet anymore." He spoke.

His gaze fell upon his two friends beside him. Sano and Shinpachi were sleeping rather lazily on the tatami flooring, with Sano still against the wall, whilst Shinpachi was open out on the floor, snoring lightly with his hand over his stomach as if for comfort. Had a bit too much to drink…

"I wonder how's Hijikata? He's been in there for a while now. Maybe I should go check on him..." He wondered.

"No, wait. Maybe I shouldn't. I'll wait for a bit and then I'll go and see." He suggested whilst talking out loud to himself.

Just then, he heard an abrupt snore come from next to him. Startled, Heisuke lost his balance and fell on his side, but thankfully caught by the unconscious movement of his free hand. He then traced to where the disturbance occurred, to find Shinpachi being the cause of it. He was mumbling in his sleep, but it was too quiet, so Heisuke had to come closer.

He managed to make out some words, but it was all that he needed.

"Yama…mission…dang..er…sto…p…"

"That's it. I'm going now."

Tired of waiting, Heisuke, finishing his last cup of sake for the time being, stood up from his spot slowly.

Silently, he tiptoed slowly towards the front door, and slid it half open. The rain was still pouring heavily outside, so he made sure that the others were awoken by the noise, and slipped outside.

Heisuke suddenly felt a cold chill up through his skin, and clutched onto his bare shoulders. He stiffened to the rain dropping on him through some small holes in the rooftop.

"O-o-oh man it's freezing…" He whispered, shaking as he headed for Yamazaki's room.

His footsteps were quiet, the sound blocked out by the rain's cries as he walked around the corner.

"Suddenly this looks like a bad idea. Maybe I should go back…" He thought, but he quickly snapped the thought out of his head.

"No! I've got to go! I can't go back and just wait…" Heisuke whispered out loudly. He quickened his pace as he saw the room in view.

"I'm too worried to calm down. Besides..." He spoke in his mind, as he stood right outside the paper doors.

"I'm already here. There's no turning back now."

Just as he was about to open the doors, he felt something holding him back, hesitating. His hand wouldn't move any further, ever the less not touching the handle.

"Why do I feel so nervous?" Heisuke thought to himself, trying to mentally urge his hand to open the door.

"Am I afraid of the outcome…that Hijikata will soon tell us?" He came to a conclusion, feeling more nervous and scared.

However, his line of thoughts was interrupted, by a soft voice coming from inside the room. Heisuke immediately placed his eye level to the handle hole, and managed to spot Hijikata with his back against him, but he wasn't able to see Yamazaki, leaving him more anxious to know, yet…he was afraid of what he would see. He felt a sigh of relief run through his shaking body.

He tried to make out what Hijikata was saying, but he was speaking so softly against the sound of the loud rain and thunder outside it was terribly difficult to make out the full sentence. However, being so close to him, he managed to make out some words.

"Regretful…worse time…leave." He was only able to make out those words.

"W-What!? What does he mean!?" Heisuke thought, as he stood up and stared back in disbelief.

"I don't get it at all…" He rested himself silently on the wall and thought over the words.

"He's regretting something…Worse time…leave…Wait a minute!" He came to a conclusion.

"Is Hijikata…going to make Yamazaki leave the Shinsengumi? Is it because his condition is too severe…!?" He gasped, clutching his mouth in disbelief.

"It's possible…No! It just can't be…There's no way he would do something like that…" He tried to shake the thought away from his mind, but it stayed as it was.

"He cares too much about his friends. But then again, if he cares so much, he would want him to leave and recover…" Heisuke started to head back to Sano's quarters.

"No, it's not true, it's not true. It just can't be. I only heard a few words. He could be saying anything. That's right, he's not going to do that, he's not…" Heisuke spoke to himself as he quickened his pace.

As he headed inside Sano's quarters, he noticed that Sano and Shinpachi had already woken up and were talking to each other just before.

"Oh, Heisuke there you are! Where were you?" Shinpachi asked him abruptly.

That's right, I can't tell them. Shinpachi will rage at Hijikata if he finds out. I don't want them to argue, but if what I heard was true, it's going to happen eventually.

"I just had to go to the bathroom, that's all. Must have been the sake I drank." Heisuke spoke a lie as he sat down.

But it's possibly that it wasn't true, so it could be something else that Hijikata said. But it does have something to do with those words I heard. 'Regret', 'Worse' and 'Leave'...It just can't be good.

"Oh I see. Well, wake us up or else we think you went missing." Sano said, putting the sake bottles to the side and resting himself on the wall.

I can't stop thinking about it. I swear I heard Hijikata…crying… If any of us is suffering over this situation, it has to be Hijikata.

Heisuke chuckled a bit by the remark.

"Seriously Sano, it was just the bathroom. I'm sure I didn't need to wake you guys up just to tell you that." He said with a small smile.

I'll keep quiet for now. I'll just pretend that nothing happened. I haven't overheard anything. I can't make myself suspicious to Sano and Shinpachi. Especially Shinpachi.

"Heisuke? You okay?"

He snapped his attention to the others as they stared at him carefully. It was like their eyes were stuck on him, he couldn't get them to stop looking.

"Um, your…" Sano pointed to his hand. Heisuke exchanged a frown and looked downwards.

In his hand was a sake bottle and cup, already filled to the brim and overflowing on the floor.

"Ah, sorry about that!" He exclaimed, realizing what he was doing. He went out of the room, coming back with something to clean the mess. As he wiped it up and sat back down, he still noticed the pairs of eyes leaning towards him.

"What's wrong, you two? It was just a spill, nothing much. You don't need to look so concern over that." Heisuke asked.

They better not be catching on to me…

"Heisuke. You didn't go to the bathroom, didn't you?" Sano asked him seriously.

"What do you mean?" Heisuke spoke, pretending to have no idea.

Shoot, this isn't good. I've got to them off my tail. Think of something, think of something…

"Don't try to come up with something; it's not going to work. We already know." Sano said, trying to sound comforting, even though it came out like a threat. It sent Heisuke a cold shiver.

"Sano…"Shinpachi ushered him as he pointed to their friend. Heisuke's eyes looked a bit wide, and his body had a slight shudder. Sano then noticed his companion's troubling uneasiness, before realizing where this conversation was heading.

"Sorry about that. What I mean is that you can tell us, so please don't hide it from us. We're in this together, okay? You don't have to deal with it by yourself." Sano said, in a softer tone. Heisuke managed to relax his shoulders a bit more.

"Y-Yeah." He replied shakily.

"But...are you sure you want to know?" He asked nervously. He hoped the reply was a no, he didn't want to say if he had a choice.

"We're sure of it." Shinpachi answered with a definite nod.

"Okay…" He replied quietly. He repositioned himself more comfortably, as did Sano and Shinpachi. They put the sake aside for now and sat close together.

"Just promise me something. After what you hear, please don't believe all of it. I'm not sure of it myself."

"Yeah, we got it." They said in agreement.

Heisuke calmed himself down with deep breaths, breathing in and out slowly. Resting himself, he looked towards his comrades, and began to tell them what he heard at Yamazaki's room. It was a short talk, but it felt like a long discussion to Heisuke. He felt nervous at each word he spoke, and anxious to know what was going on in their consciousness. His throat felt dry and he felt very warm, despite the cold chills from outside. His stomach was aching as he held it on tightly, caressing it slowly. It was probably the sake, he thought. But the partial reason why it was so was because he was scared. Frightened, perhaps.

Even though Shinpachi promised that he wouldn't believe all of it and that he was prepared to hear, Heisuke wasn't so convinced. Knowing him, he would run all the way to where Hijikata was and yell at him, clutching at his collar while demanding to know why.

But he didn't want that. With Hijikata in that condition right now, if Shinpachi was to suddenly appear in his room…Heisuke didn't think Hijikata would talk. That's what he was afraid of.

He didn't want Shinpachi to believe it, if it was to avoid that situation…


	7. I was worried about him

Back at Yamazaki's room:

Hijikata felt movement in between his hands. Startled, he stared down with open eyes, tears still flowing down to his cheeks, and he saw that Yamazaki's fingers have changed position. Seeing that he responded, the fingers twitched again. Hijikata widened in suspension, now looking at Yamazaki's pale face. Suddenly, his eyes moved, and that was a beacon of light to Hijikata. He felt his chest relax as he let go of his breath.

"I'm so glad that he's alive. He looks so silent, like he's not breathing." Hijikata whispered to himself.

He sat a little closer to Yamazaki's head, and laid his hands on his soft cheek. It felt like a small pillow, just light and puffy. He smiled to himself as he stroked Yamazaki's head, his short brown hair emerging between his fingers.

Just then, Yamazaki began to stir. Turning slightly towards Hijikata, he turned to his left side, with his hand still on his head. The Vice Commander found his hand resting on his forehead, and was slightly surprised to find an abnormally warm feeling.

"He's burning up. " Hijikata stood up, walking to the front door to retrieve a towel and some water. When he opened the door, he was taken back to find somebody about to walk into him. They both gasped in apology before recovering from the sudden calamity.

"Chizuru! Sorry about that." He apologized, whilst helping her back on her feet.

"N-No, it was my fault! You don't need to apologize, Hijikata." She spoke, wiping her clothes quickly before picking up what she dropped.

Hijikata reached down to help her when he noticed that Chizuru was just recently carrying a bundle of face cloths, which was precisely what he was going to get. His eyes traced to her side. There was a small tub filled with cold water next to her. He was puzzled by the sudden coincidence.

"Chizuru, what are these for?" He asked curiously.

"Oh these? They're for Yamazaki. I was worried about him, so I was going to give these to you in case if he had-"

"A fever, perhaps?" Hijikata finished the sentence. Chizuru was dumbfounded by the few words.

"How did you know that, Hijikata?" She asked, astounded.

"Um…" Hijikata started before stopping.

Should I tell her that he has a fever? I'm afraid that she might make a huge deal out of this, and go run to the others to tell them. Out of all of them, Shinpachi would take it the worst. Who knows what he might suspect out of this? I'll keep this a secret until his fever dies down.

"…It was just a guess. What else would you have some cloths and a tub of water for anyway?" He answered.

"Cleaning the floor?" Chizuru suggested with a thought.

"…Oh yeah... That as well." He said dumbfounded.

"Well, I'll take those off your hands. You should probably start on dinner." Hijikata said, taking the tub and cloths inside.

"Oh, yes! Well, then, I'm off!" Chizuru bowed down and started heading to the kitchen. Hijikata saw her run around the corner and sighed in relief.

"That was a close one. I was thinking for sure that she wouldn't believe that." Hijikata talked to himself.

"…Wouldn't… believe what...Vice …Commander…?"


	8. The first time I ever heard you laugh

What's going on here? Everywhere I looked, there was endless black space. But I wasn't able to reach out or move around. My body lay motionless as if I was a dead corpse. .I was all alone, in a place, or world that I have seen a few times. I felt nothing, saw nothing. But I heard something.

"They're so cold…"

This voice. I could tell it was a man, and it was choking on something. I felt a warm feeling on my hand.

"I'm sorry…"

Why was it apologizing? And why does it sound so familiar?

I thought about it for a while. There was something about this voice that I knew, but I just couldn't think with this uncomfortable feeling in my head. Probably a headache or something like that.

"Please come back soon…"

"Hijikata?" I spoke mentally. That has to be Hijikata, no one else I know has that kind of tone.

Suddenly, I had that same feeling I had before. I started feeling drowsy, and before I knew it, I black out completely.

My eyes slowly opened as I adjusted to the light. When I came to, I was facing a ceiling. Feeling around me, I felt bed sheets and blankets, soft and familiar to the touch. I was guessing that I was in my sleeping quarters. But the last thing that I remember was collapsing on a wooden surface.

I kept wondering for a few seconds how I got here, when I heard a voice. It was the same voice that I heard before. It was Hijikata, no doubt about that.

"That was a close one. I was thinking for sure that she wouldn't believe that." He spoke with a sigh.

I had the feeling that I should talk to him and ask him what has happened to me.

"Wouldn't… believe what...Vice …Commander…?" I asked him.

I didn't realize how soft my voice was, but he was able to hear me. Suddenly, he turned around with a hopeful face, and with a few tears forming in his eyes. He put down what he was holding and came towards me.

"Yamazaki! Do you feel okay?" Hijikata asked hurriedly.

"I feel a bit dizzy…" I said, remembering the sore feeling in my head.

I try to get up using my arms, but my strength had diminished significantly. Before I knew it, I was falling back down. But I felt a soft landing underneath me. It was warm and comfortable.

"You've got to lie down. You've had a pretty rough day today." Hijikata told me strictly as he put me down slowly.

I tried to reply back but my voice wouldn't come out. I felt another wave of pain come through my body.

Just then, Hijikata placed his hand on my forehead. I started having this abrupt feeling inside me. Whatever it was, I didn't feel natural.

"Vice…Commander…What are you…doing?" I asked him. To be honest, I felt a bit happy that he was concerned for me, but I knew he didn't need to go this far for me.

"What does it look like? You have a fever." He replied hastily, before returning to the door.

My breath started to quicken up as I felt a shiver up my spine. I closed my eyes as I started to feel droopy. Seeing that Hijikata was here, it made me feel glad that someone was watching over me whilst I healed. I wonder where the others are at the present moment…

Hijikata then came back with a small tub of water and a stacked of clean white face cloths. He placed them next to me and started to unfold the top cloth.

"May I ask…what that…is for?" I asked him puzzled.

I then realized that was a rather silly mistake. It became obviously to me that the cloth was for my fever. I never realized that fatigue would make me think rather vaguely. Truly this was a bit embarrassing, but since no one else was in this room, the feeling faded away soon enough.

"Here." I heard as I felt a sudden wet substance on my head. I shivered at the feeling, but became used to it afterwards. It did feel nice against my burning skin, and I settled into it.

"Do you feel a bit better, Yamazaki?" Hijikata asked me, concerned deeply.

"The cloth…It feels…nice…" I managed to speak before falling silent. I have become so appealed to the cloth that I didn't speak. Hijikata held the most amusing expression on his face.

I became to feel a giggle coming up my throat. Before I knew it, some of it spilled out. But in my condition, it was hard to laugh freely, but it came out either way.

"? What's so funny?" He asked, confused.

"It's just that…you have a most amusing expression right now…Vice Commander…!" I said in the middle of chuckling. I felt like my voice was coming back to me as I spoke.

As my laughter began dying down, I looked towards Hijikata again to ask him something, but I stopped in my tracks with what I was to find.

Hijikata held another expression, but this time it was different.

"Vice Commander, is something wrong?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just that… Well…" Hijikata started to say but I was curious to know.

"Well what?" I ushered him to keep going.

"Well, that was…the first time I ever heard you laugh, Yamazaki." He finally said.

The remark took me back quite suddenly. I actually have never laughed whilst I was here.

"I guess I'm not the type to laugh, never the less smile." I answered rather quietly. I started feeling like I was talking rather darkly about myself. Is there even a word for it?

I really liked the feeling of having such a nice conversation with the Vice Commander. It felt like home, but I've haven't felt this engaged into a talk with him. Not like those other talks with him about reports and missions.

It felt like I wasn't talking with the Vice Commander of the Shinsengumi…

…but with just Hijikata.

Hijikata then began to clear his throat, noting me something. I look at him in confusion, as the tender moment had been broken.

"So, Yamazaki…About the mission..." He began to say.


End file.
